12 Mar 2024 | 12:11 PM UTC
Indian Ocean: Suspected pirates board bulk carrier east of Mogadishu, March 12 /update 1
Suspected pirates board cargo vessel east of Mogadishu, Somalia, March 12; further attacks possible.
Suspected Somali pirates boarded a bulk carrier approximately 600 nautical miles (1111 km, 690 miles) east of Mogadishu in the Indian Ocean on March 12. Reports indicate that up to 20 armed assailants used several small boats to approach the vessel. The status of the crew remains unknown.
A heightened naval security presence is likely in the vicinity of the incident in the coming days. Further attacks and hijackings are possible.
Exercise a high degree of caution if operating in piracy-prone areas. Ship operators should implement best management practices to mitigate piracy-associated threats. Companies should regularly review their ship security assessment and plan under the International Ship and Facility Security Code (ISPS), particularly in piracy-prone areas. Companies are advised to maintain strict anti-piracy watches and report all pirate activity, including both actual and attempted attacks, as well as suspicious sightings, to local and international naval authorities.
Instances of Somali piracy have declined significantly in recent years, with this decline demonstrated by the removal of the High Risk Area (HRA) in the waters off Somalia and the northern Indian Ocean by several insurers Jan. 1, 2023. The last successful hijacking prior to November 2023 took place in 2017, while the last attempt occurred in 2019. Despite the lifting of the HRA, occasional incidents involving gunfire towards vessels and thefts have occurred, and the waters of the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and north-western Indian Ocean remain in the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA).
